Rabies Vaccine Stock Running Out in Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT)

Sikka – Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has had the status of an extraordinary incident (KLB) for rabies since the last two weeks. However, the stock of rabies vaccine for dogs is running out.

“For the time being, until the end of May, the vaccine (rabies for dogs) is out of stock,” said the Head of the Sikka District Agriculture Office, Yohanes Emil Satriawan, Monday (5/6/2023).

Since the case of a bite by a rabid dog emerged in Sikka, the Sikka District Office has recorded only 3,520 doses of rabies vaccine, all of which have been used up.

The rabies vaccine consists of 2,520 doses of assistance from the Directorate of Livestock and Animal Health of the Ministry of Agriculture and 1,000 doses of assistance from the East Flores Regency Government.

Meanwhile, the dog population in Sikka reaches 55 thousand heads. This means that the number of dogs that have been vaccinated is still far from the vaccination coverage of at least 70 percent of the total population of rabies-transmitting animals (HPR).

“There is still a lot of need (of the rabies vaccine). We have the most recent data for the dog population in Sikka, which is 55,000. Vaccination coverage is at least 70 percent,” said Yohanes.

Yohanes himself admitted that he had asked for assistance from the Indonesian Veterinary Association for a rabies vaccine. Currently, the process of procuring the rabies vaccine is being sourced from the Sikka regional budget.

“The current procurement process (the budget) comes from the Sikka Regional Budget as many as 11,500 doses,” he added.

While waiting, Yohanes asked the people to tie up and put their dogs in cages. The puskesmas ambulance also went around the village to convey an appeal to tie their dogs.

VAR Stock Sufficient

Meanwhile, the anti-rabies vaccine (VAR) for victims of rabies dog bites in Sikka District has so far been sufficient. Sikka Maria District Health Office Head Bernadina Sada Nenu said the VAR had been distributed to seven Rabies Centers, treatment centers for HPR bite victims.

“The availability of VAR at the Rabies Center is still sufficient,” he claimed.

It is known that 23 residents of Sikka Regency became victims of bites by rabid dogs in the last five months. One victim died on May 8, 2023, while 22 others are still undergoing treatment.

This certainty was obtained after laboratory tests on 31 samples of the heads of dogs that bit residents. Among them, eight cases of dog bites were negative for rabies.

“31 cases of bites by rabies-transmitting animals (dogs), 23 positive and eight negative. Data from January to June 2, 2023,” said Yohanes, Monday (5/6/2023).

Watch Video “Recognizing the Symptoms of Rabies, the Cause of Toddlers in Sikka Diing“

(BIR/gsp)